1. Field of Application
The present invention relates to an improved method of collecting, removing and transporting aluminum and plastic beverage containers from a redemption center to a separating facility without requiring the redemption center to sort the beverage containers by specific beverage company or requiring the redemption center to separate the beverage containers into like materials. Additionally, the improved method relieves the beverage companies from the burden of having to remove the empty beverage containers from the redemption center.
2. Description of Prior Art
Recyclable aluminum or plastic containers are used almost exclusively by beverage bottlers such as Coca Cola, Pepsi, Budweiser, etc. Many states, such as Iowa, Michigan, and others, have imposed statutory laws requiring the consumer to pay a deposit (usually five or ten cents) for each beverage container purchased from a dealer in order to encourage recycling of the containers. This deposit is then refunded when the consumer returns the recyclable container to a dealer or to a redemption center (both referred to hereinafter as redemption centers).
In states that impose this deposit requirement, the redemption centers are usually under a duty to accept the empty beverage containers and pay the amount of the refund value to the consumer upon return of the beverage containers. The distributors are then typically required to accept and pick up from the redemption centers any beverage containers of the kind, size and brand sold by the distributor and to reimburse the redemption centers for the containers collected. The distributors then shred and bale the empty beverage containers and sell the plastic and aluminum to recyclers.
Since the distributors are under a duty to accept and reimburse the redemption centers for only the kind, size and brand of the beverage containers which they sell, the redemption centers must sort the cans by distributor and by material type (i.e. aluminum or plastic). For example, the redemption centers must separate plastic Coke bottles from plastic Pepsi bottles and aluminum Coke cans from aluminum Pepsi cans. This imposition takes time and increases costs for the redemption centers.
In order to reduce costs and increase efficiency, the redemption centers have taken great measures to try to find ways of keeping track of each distributor's returned beverage containers as well as keeping the plastic and aluminum containers separate from the time they are returned by the consumer. One of the methods used by the redemption centers to keep the plastic and aluminum containers separate as well as track each distributor's returned beverage containers, is the use of reverse vending machines of the type disclosed in the patent issued to DeWoolfson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,216 which is incorporated herein by reference.
Reverse vending machines are similar to beverage dispensing vending machines except that instead of depositing coins and receiving a bottle or can of soda, the user deposits his or her empty plastic or aluminum beverage containers into the machine in return for money in an amount equal to the deposit. Other reverse vending machines merely return a receipt or voucher which the user must tender to an employee of the redemption center to collect his or her deposit.
Most reverse vending machines count the containers as they are being deposited and also read a bar code on the containers to determine the distributor. Separate reverse vending machines are usually required, each receiving only plastic or aluminum containers ranging in size from large two-liter plastic bottles to smaller twelve ounce bottles or cans. The plastic bottles and aluminum cans are collected in hoppers housed within the separate reverse vending machines. The hoppers must be emptied periodically into larger holding bins where the plastic bottles and aluminum cans remain separate at all times. The distributors then periodically haul away an equivalent number of bottles and cans from the recycling depository rather than just hauling away their own brand of bottles and cans.
Although the reverse vending machines have eliminated the need for the redemption centers to manually sort the beverage containers by distributors, these reverse vending machines are relatively expensive and they impose a burden on the consumer who must insert the cans and bottles into separate reverse vending machines one at a time, wait for a receipt, and then take the receipt to a clerk at the redemption center to receive his or her deposit refund. Further, the distributors are still required to pick up an equivalent number of returned beverage containers from the redemption centers.
Therefore, there is a need for a more efficient way to eliminate the burden and costs imposed on consumers and redemption centers to sort the recyclable beverage containers by distributor and then separate the containers into like materials. Additionally, there is a need to eliminate the burden on the distributors from having to pick up the empty beverage containers from the redemption centers, who must then have to shred and bale the materials, and then try to sell the materials to recyclers at the best market price.